Where to stay: SPAIN

The province of Zamora, just upriver from Portugal’s famous Douro Valley, is home to the Toro wine designation, and is also home to the impressive Eurostars Valbusenda Hotel Bodega & Spa. The modern structure contains 35 contemporary-luxe rooms, plus there are indoor and outdoor pools and a hydrotherapy spa. Naturally, it’s laser-focused on good food and wine, with venues including a fine-dining restaurant and piano bar to go along with the on-site winery’s tasting rooms and bodega.

The Rioja wine country is known for its mixture of heritage architecture and contemporary interventions, and Palacio Tondón combines both on a single estate: this village-like 16th-century palace has been augmented by modern additions, a patchwork of weathered stone and brand-new metal and glass overlooking the Ebro river. A visit here isn’t complete without a picnic in the Tondón vineyards and a trip to the wine cellar, with its vast collection of bottles from Rioja’s best-known producers.

Hotel Mas Lazuli is a 17-room boutique housed in a historic convent that dates to the 11th century. You’d barely know it from the inside, though. The hotel’s old stone buildings are grand and romantic, set amid palm trees, vineyards, and olive groves, but its interiors are clean and contemporary; gleaming white walls contrast smartly with blonde wood furniture and flooring. Chef Pere Arpa’s restaurant is a must-try, as is the hotel’s own wine and olive oil.

A former 18th-century Jesuit monastery has been given new life as a rural boutique, farm, and vineyard. Acres of groves gradually give way to manicured gardens as you approach Son Brull, a charmingly stone-and-mortar edifice bedecked with flowering vines on the outside and touches of dazzling modern design on the inside. With a healthy variety of organic produce grown on site, as well as a satisfying house wine, it’s no surprise that Restaurant 3/65 dazzles on the fine-dining front.

The URSO occupies an opulent, early 20th-century palatial building. The architect, Antonio Obrador, has conserved many original features, such as the tiles on the façade, the fabulous mahogany lift and the stained-glass windows on the staircase. Although it is in the centre of Madrid, a muted palette of cool green, grey and cream tones and delicate Japanese prints create an air of calm and discreet chicness.

Effortlessly cool and stylishly dressed, boutique hotel Tótem Madrid is a jewel box of a stay just off high-end Jorge Juan. The lobby’s marble floors, brass accents and carefully restored 19th-century staircase are just some of its charms: expect a top-notch restaurant, worldly staff and airy rooms decorated with elegant restraint.

A 18th-century tower turned exclusive boutique hideaway, Torre del Marques combines the latest in eco-luxury with a real respect for its heritage. Set within one of the least discovered regions of Spanish countryside, but accessible from Barcelona, the hotel promises a rural escape from reality and the stresses of everyday life. Contemporary and elegant, eco-conscious and luxurious – Torre del Marques really is a best-of-all-worlds bucolic fantasy.

Torralbenc blends rustic deluxe with low-key Balearic chic, providing one of the most serene and stylish rural retreats you will find on Menorca. This uber-tastefully updated 17th-century finca is set in immaculately landscaped gardens, with broad sea views, top-class service, and comforts where they really count.

Among the rocky outcrops and sun-soaked valleys of Montsant lies Terra Dominicata. Originally part of a Dominican monastery, this boutique hotel immerses you in the heritage of its ‘holy mountain’ setting. Although the monks may be long gone, this rural retreat keeps up their time-honoured skill of winemaking – with the local vineyards producing famed Montsant and Priorat wines. Drop your bags, and drink it all in.

The hotel is a white four-storey complex, with rooms arranged around the two swimming pools and the terraces of the various restaurants. There is a big wow factor as you walk in, with a cleverly-designed, light-filled atrium that sweeps your gaze through to the Mediterranean beyond. Instant relaxation. Natural materials – stone, marble, teak, ceramics, linen and cotton – are used in a cool palette of ivory and taupe hues, with pops of Klein blue, jade and gold adding Ibizan zing.

Exuding authentic character, the hotel’s style centres on the beauty of some of its original features. It has been built around the city’s first ever defensive wall – a monument that stands at over 1,000 years old and there are stone walls and floors alongside exposed bricks and beams. A medieval pulse beats at this hotel’s heart. This is all complemented by lavish attention to detail; crystal chandeliers hang majestically from ceilings and sofas are adorned in plush, velvety fabrics.

A bucolic Spanish mansion dedicated to the fine art of gastronomy. Horse-drawn carriages roll up the driveway and through ochre walled gardens. The sound of water fountains is in the air, and green is in every direction. From the moment you arrive, Hotel Valdepalacios sets an idyllic scene. This 19th-century Spanish mansion has been beautifully restored – and is now a boutique hotel that welcomes modern guests in timeless style.

This hotel is set in a 16th-century palace, a national monument. It has been restored leaving original details, but furnished in a very contemporary, minimalist manner.

Among the many converted palaces in Seville, this one stands out for its sheer majesty and class. The aristocratic feel – high ceilings, balconies with original wooden shutters, marble-columned patios, and a massive family crest on the grand staircase – is cleverly complemented by mid-century furniture and chairs by Spanish contemproary designer Patricia Urquiola.

A blissful retreat encircled by vineyards in the Duero Valley. A former monastery overlooking the River Tormes, Hacienda Zorita Wine Hotel & Organic Farm is a magnificent wine resort with an impressive history that dates back to the 14th century. Guests experience true hacienda hospitality together with the high comfort factor of a gourmet restaurant, a vinotherapy spa, wine tasting in the cellars and an ancient chapel with 16th-century works of art.

Built in Finnish wood with interior decoration by Andrew Martin. El Lodge is comfortable, modern and quirky - cowhide rug; antler chandeliers; lamps made from Campari Soda bottles; electronically operated bedroom curtains; lights and bathroom toilets. The lounge has a country house feel, with twists like an Eighties games console. The whole effect is complemented by funky music from Marbella Club.